Carell leads with his heart in purchase of Marshfield store
It is one of those beloved local landmarks, a fixture in the historic village of Marshfield Hills.
For Hollywood funnyman Steve Carell, who spends his summers in Marshfield, the Marshfield Hills General Store was an opportunity too good to pass up.
"This is much more of an emotional investment than a business one," Carell said of his recent purchase of the store.
"I saw an opportunity to help to preserve a little piece of history," Carell said in an e-mail. "I also felt that places like the Marshfield Hills General Store represent a gathering place, and give people a sense of community. These spots are growing more and more scarce. I hope to keep this particular one alive and well."
Carell learned the store was up for sale in October, when his sister-in-law Tish Vivado went to California to visit Carell and her sister, actress Nancy Walls. According to Vivado, who lives in Marshfield, Carell had always been interested in being part of the community. Carell purchased the store in November and the ownership changed hands on New Year's Day.
The store now is being run by Vivado and staff of four people. But they could get some high-profile help in the summer, when Carell plans to take an active role in the day-to-day activities.
"I will be manning the cash register, and stocking the shelves as time permits!" wrote Carell, a Massachusetts native. "For the time being, however, I am looking to give the building a bit of TLC."
Vivado describes running the general store as a dream job that allows her to spend more time with her family while working in an environment that she loves.
"It's been great so far," said Vivado, who previously worked with Suffolk Construction in Boston. "The people who come here have been so wonderful. . . . Before I was commuting back and forth from Boston. Now I get to see my kids off on the bus in the morning and also be part of the neighborhood."
Originally from Cohasset, where she was raised with Walls, Vivado fell in love with the general store after moving to Marshfield 12 years ago. Because she didn't have a mailbox at her house, Vivado used a box at the post office in Marshfield Hills, located next to the general store. Soon, daily trips to the store became a habit.
"I loved its homeliness," said Vivado of the store.
"I loved its neighborhood feel, the way kids would sit on the porch eating their candy. It was that unique feeling of a country general store."
The building that houses the 790-square-foot general store was built in 1853 and served a variety of uses over the past century and a half, including a stint as a restaurant. The store's previous owners, Bob and Sherry Bechtold, had owned the store since 2002. The store's sale price was not disclosed.
In addition to its popular penny candy, the store sells such items as gifts, books, beer, wine, and snacks. Current plans call for restoration of the exterior, including work on the porch and the building's siding. For the longer term, a few ideas have been thrown around, including the potential addition of a sandwich shop, according to Vivado.
"One of the first thoughts I had was creating a place where people can get freshly made sandwiches, a place they could come on the weekends," Vivado said.
"But that would require some inside work. We want to add something that people in the neighborhood would desire. We would want anything that is potentially added to go over smoothly with the people in the community."
Carell said his brother, Greg Carell of the Hopkinton-based Carell Group, will be the supervising architect on the restoration.
Word of Carell's purchase of the beloved store has caused a buzz in Marshfield, where people are excited about the community involvement of the star of "The Office," especially with such a valued landmark.
"Marshfield Hills has the charm of a Colonial village, and the general store on Prospect Street contributes to that feel," said Colby Ring, a 22-year-old Marshfield resident.
"I believe Steve Carell's purchase of the store will be great and will help maintain the character and history of this neighborhood, as long as he is concerned more about the aesthetics of store and less about its profitability."
Ring felt that Carell's purchase would enable the store to thrive in tough economic times, particularly with "more and more people trying to save money through shopping at chain grocery stores."
Ultimately, Carell desires to keep the general store as a neighborhood mainstay.
"The previous owners have established a wonderful rapport with the community, and I'd like to honor that," Carell said. "Any future changes or additions will be guided by the wants and needs of our clientele." 